Capricorn Lunar Eclipse: What is True Patriotism?

What does it mean to be a patriot? The term commonly signifies a person who loves his or her country enough to support and defend it. We tend to think of the American colonists who, in 1773, dumped 342 chests of tea into the Boston harbor, precipitating the bloody American Revolution not long after as they threw off oppressive British rule.

It was a brave and perhaps even divinely inspired bid for freedom. Yet the colonists’ triumph and expanding presence in the new world cast a sinister shadow, one which is only now fully emerging into our collective consciousness. And that is the genocide of America’s native inhabitants as well as the enslavement of African people by which the newcomers built a thriving economy. The U.S.A. is starting to experience a long overdue reckoning for its cavalier actions. As Pluto returns to its original location when the country was born (close now, exact from 2021-23), we’re being asked to face our former – and ongoing – sins. (To understand how slavery’s brutal legacy continues, watch the eye-opening documentary 13^th on Netflix.)

As Independence Day approaches, it’s time for a new definition of patriotism that includes a genuine love for our country and all its inhabitants, including those who look, act and worship differently than we do.  It seems appropriate, due to virus-related safety concerns, that many Fourth of July fireworks displays and celebrations have been scaled back or eliminated this year. This may also be a reflection of the lunar eclipse that occurs on the night of the nation’s birthday.

This Capricorn Full Moon eclipse (July 4, 9:44 p.m. PDT) is the last in a series of eclipses in patriotic, family-oriented Cancer and Capricorn that began in 2018. Since that time (and especially since the recent June 20 Cancer solar eclipse) many of us have begun to question and challenge traditional beliefs and attitudes, within ourselves and the world at large. Yet some are still bound and determined to uphold the status quo. Conflicts are likely to escalate on Independence Day as the Moon in traditional Capricorn gets eclipsed by the Sun in emotional Cancer. Watch for fierce, full moon-fueled displays of loyalty to family and country. Protecting the homeland could be a big issue, including disagreements on how that should happen.

An eclipse catalyzing the U.S. Sun (its very identity), reveals what needs to be transformed, as well as what needs revisiting – especially as the Sun joins retrograde Mercury in patriotic Cancer at the eclipse. The Sun exactly conjoins asteroid Vesta, keeper of hearth and home, calling us to protect what’s most precious and to find out what makes us secure. Keep wearing those masks and washing those hands! Invisible enemies such as the coronavirus, which is now having such a huge resurgence that Americans have been barred from visiting Europe this summer, are best addressed through a patient, calculated (Capricorn) effort on everyone’s part. Since the eclipse happens on the country’s birthday and is featured in its solar return chart, these themes will resonate strongly throughout the next year.

The Sabian Symbol for the eclipse at 14 Capricorn is, An ancient bas-relief carved in granite remains a witness to a long-forgotten culture. This image conjures up the idea of long-held, enduring truths. It suggests that what we need right now is a valid, inclusive historical perspective on our individual lives as well as that of our nation. We must find “the will to unearth what has permanent value, and to let go of non-essentials.”

Even when it seems like enduring truths such as “love your neighbor as yourself” are being eclipsed by racism and greed, it’s important to hold fast to time-tested principles that support life. The Moon trines progressive Uranus at this eclipse, suggesting that a twist of fate could turn things around and that  freedom from restraint is possible. Stay receptive to inner guidance and align yourself with community for support.

As the insightful Rev. Michael Beckwith reminds us, “You leapt into this human incarnation to stay awake in such a way that your energy leaves a vibrational footprint of peace, love, harmony, wholeness, and compassion for all people on the planet. Not merely your kin, or the people who share your same skin color, religious background, ethnicity, or nationality. You are here to grow in such a way that you have a deep love, compassion, and caring for all sentient beings!”